#also i feel like padmé's not especially vicious but like

[tennessoui]

i really like your take on padme in mermay au, she is straight up vicious, it somehow suits her better than her canonical persona? i don't know i never saw her as particularly, overly kind in canon, more like someone who definitely cares but is downright manipulative? idk if i'm making sense, long story short, this version of padme scratched an itch in my brain i didn't know i had

i think padme is always fun to write because versions of her can be very complex and when i write her i like to focus on her capacity for anger (in fics where she and anakin are still together when the fic starts) i'm sure that gets a bit tiring to read for people but i just can't see her character just being calm and placid and ok with losing anakin immediately. she seems too fiery in canon, and she seems to love anakin too much to just let him go

and when im writing padmé in canon fics, i want to balance that part of her with her other parts, like her kindness and a sense of justice and empathy ('a more perfect union' padmé for example is all of those things), but i think all those parts are important.

so i've really liked how easy it's been to lean into padmé's viciousness in the mer au!! it's been super fun for me, because one of my favorite parts of writing different aus is playing with how much a character is of a particular trait (ie., how much of a bitch obi-wan is, how much of a brat anakin is, how much of a good jedi is anakin, how much infinite sadness does obi-wan have etc etc) so i've liked dragging padmé's viciousness all the way up to the top of the scale here

she's a mermaid queen who is queen of a vicious and vain society and being queen means different things in this au than it does in star wars canon, a lot of which boils down to never really hearing the word no and maybe being a bit callous and naive because of it. she's also the most mer in the au because anakin was human for 21 years and obi-wan was human for likeee ~15 years (?) but padmé has been mer all her life and would never want to be human - she's fascinated by anakin, but not in the same way obi-wan was by the humans when he first discovered them and i love trying to distinguish that

[starboundanon]

Hello!!

I'll start by saying that I love your fics and really like your blog ♥️ I agree with great part of your takes, especially about how dark of a character Anakin/Vader truly is, despite the fandom woobifying him! I also apologize in advance by how big this ask is 😭

That said, there's something that always made me curious and I'm burning to ask... You've said in a previous post that you didn't like how easily Padmé forgave Anakin for everything he did in canon, that you thought it was psychotic. So what separates Padmé's unconditional forgiveness of Vader's crimes from Luke's equally unconditional forgiveness, for you? I mean, both characters were personally, terribly hurt by Vader. I admit that my knee-jerk reaction when I see people with a similar opinion is always "oh, it's sexism, because Padmé is a woman and Luke is a man, and compassion from a man is revolutionary while compassion from a woman makes her weak" 🙄 but you've always seemed so sensible and reasonable and that can't be the case with you. So I'm genuinely curious about your perspective! Especially because you ship Vaderluke like I do, and Luke and Vader's relationship under romantic lenses gets easier to compare with Anidala.

(Also this entire ask works under the assumption that you do appreciate Luke's forgiveness of Vader, despite knowing he was a terrible father in canon—a far cry from fanon's Dad Vader—and obviously didn't deserve it. I got the vibe from your fics and your posts that you do! But if you don't and you think RotJ shouldn't have ended like that, actually, then I understand that I clowned and you can just ignore this 🤡)

I agree with you that a lot of the heat Padmé gets in the Star Wars fandom (while Luke is canonized for essentially carrying her legacy and vindicating her beliefs) is the result of sexism. But in my own experience within this fandom, anon, I’ve seen sexism against her in the opposite way that you’ve described, and it was that sexism that I was reacting to in the ask you’re referring to here, and the reason why I unintentionally sounded so snarly.

Playing that ask game came on the heels of reading post after post after post praising Padmé for her unwavering faith and loyalty, for her selfless forgiveness, for her unconditional love for her husband. And while, yeah, sure, those things are technically all virtues, praising a woman for having those qualities in response to her mass murderer husband slaughtering hundreds of children REEKS of sexism and tone-deafness to me.

Because that really is the perfect woman, isn’t it? She’s loyal to you no matter what you do, you are the only thing she wants in the whole galaxy (despite being rich, with an important, full-time career, pregnant, or a fucking QUEEN). She will defend you after you’ve physically assaulted her and die believing you were a good man. She will forgive you, love you unconditionally, ignore every single one of your red flags and literally die of a broken heart if you betray her. A flawless, devoted woman!

…At least, at the time of answering that ask, that was the spiel I had gotten from a myriad of stanakins, and from George Lucas’ writing after watching AotC for the first time. I was reactive and unnecessarily vicious in that ask — and I apologize for being that way — because I don’t think Padmé’s unwavering dedication to Anakin is admirable, anon. I think it’s unhealthy. And I LOVE that it’s unhealthy — I’m a darkfic writer, I love unhealthy ships! — but I was just so sick and tired of people giving Padmé the Virgin Mary treatment when her relationship with Anakin was fucking UNHINGED.

Luke’s forgiveness of Vader has its own undertones of unhealthiness, but it also has things Padmé’s doesn’t. Even when Luke can feel Anakin’s conflicted feelings through their Force bond, he still has moments where he doubts there’s actually still good in his father, where he declares him dead like Obi-Wan did, when he lashes out and tries to KILL him for threatening Leia — Luke forgives Vader, yes, but at least we get to see him being ANGRY with him. We don’t get that with Padmé. Anakin confesses to murdering Tusken children and Padmé looks at him like THIS for fuck’s sake

The only reason we don’t get to see Padmé pick up a blaster and aim it at his grinning face on Mustafar IS sexism, imo. She’s eight months pregnant! Where’s the rage? Where’s the resentment? She has none, she isn’t allowed any! Why? We can debate it till we’re blue in the face, but I will always consider it a massive disservice to Padmé’s character that she was denied the humanity Luke was given in the OT, to the point that her and Anakin’s relationship came across as so ridiculously codependent it was almost silly.

[crispyjenkins]

A third part to the JangObi locked in a cell/ weapons courting if there isn’t one yet. Jango or Boba calling Obi Mandokar. At least I think that’s the word. A Mando’s wet dream basically.

(this one entirely got away from me and i didn't get to Boba actually using the word Mandokar, but both Obi-Wan and Satine know what he's getting at (ノ*゜▽゜*)

again, i do not hate Satine, but I also do not particularly like her! she's clearly got some stuff to work through here >.>

Thank you as always, Roxy!)

  When Jango had told Boba that he'd finally get to see the inside of the Senate Rotunda (legally, this time), Boba hadn't been particularly thrilled. Why should he care about the politics of a Republic neither he nor his buir are a part of?

  Well, Obi-Wan is a part of it, but he also clearly doesn't want to be.

  To put it shortly, Boba hadn't had high expectations for his afternoon, especially since it was preceded by Obi-Wan taking him to Dex's and letting Kote teach him how to use two vibroblades at once. Why couldn't they have just waited by the Slave I for Jango to finish his politicking? 

  He supposes Obi-Wan makes it bearable, taking him on a tour and telling him facts about the building itself, as well as stories from the Sacking of Coruscant, but Boba's good will ends rather abruptly when they run into Kryze and Padmé in one of the main corridors.

  Tense pleasantries are quickly exchanged, and Boba realises they haven't seen Kryze since Jango had helped Obi-Wan save her from Darth Maul; Boba still isn't sure of the details of what happened after, but his buir had been furious. 

  When it takes all of two minutes for Kryze to mockingly call Obi-Wan General Kenobi, Boba shares the kriffing sentiment. 

  Obi-Wan heaves a sigh, and Padmé looks wildly uncomfortable. "My lady, I do not know what you hope to achieve by reiterating your position on the Order’s involvement in the War; I am but one Jedi."

  "A Jedi on the High Council. You are just as implicit in its continuation as the rest," Kryze retorts, and Boba may be thirteen and a little out of his depth with the Politician Speak, but he knows this isn't about the Jedi, or the War. "Do not think you can absolve yourself from fault."

  Boba looks up at Obi-Wan, eager for his witty retort, but he just looks tired, and Boba has to remind himself that Obi-Wan had loved her, once. 

  Padmé smiles apologetically, trying to pull Kryze's focus. "The decisions of the High Council are not made by Obi-Wan alone," she says, even though they all know that isn't really the issue. 

  "You’re right," Kryze agrees, not sounding like she agrees at all, "individual Jedi have absolutely no control over their political participation in needless violence." Boba grinds his teeth as she gives up trying to hide her scowl.

  And Obi-Wan just stands there and takes it, like Boba hasn't seen him talk entire armies out of battle, or fight off both Savage and Maul at once. He hasn't seen Obi-Wan like this since Waxer's death on Cato Neimoidia.

  Obi-Wan sighs again, trying to offer Boba a little smile. "Individuals always have a choice," he says, more to Boba than Kryze. "But preventing the death of millions outweighs our personal beliefs, don't you think?"

  Boba nods firmly as Padmé shifts on her feet, but doesn't disagree; she's certainly seen more battle in this war than Kryze. 

  Kryze who scoffs to hide what must be genuine hurt. Anger is rarely about the thing you're angry with, Boba remembers Lama Su trying to teach him, and he reminds himself that Kryze had loved Obi-Wan once, too. That was the real problem, wasn't it?

  "Back then, you avoided conflict whenever you could," she says, flat and a little sad, "you would always rather go around than force your way through. It saddens me, Obi-Wan, to see what's left of your honor."

  "At least Obi-Wan hasn't murdered an entire half of his people!" Boba snarls, deciding he's quite done listening to this nonsense. 

  "Boba, it's alright," Obi-Wan says softly, but he's also keeping his left arm behind his back, keeping Jango's vambrace out of sight, and Boba is livid.

  "'Gar taldin ni jaonyc,'" he says, because he knows the "Duchess" still understands Mando'a, even if she pretends she doesn't.  Bloodline means nothing. "I don't care who your clan was, or what title you claim to have: until you are ready to die for your people, they are not yours."

  Kryze stares down at him, and Boba can feel Obi-Wan prodding at his mind in question, in an attempt to calm, but Boba shoves him back out. 

  "It's easy to call Obi-Wan a murderer when you're hiding in your glass palace, when you wouldn't know the first thing about defending it. Do not speak of honor until you even know what that is."

  There is a tense beat of silence before Kryze rounds a glare on Obi-Wan. "I would hope you could speak for yourself, if the Senate trusts a third of the Galactic Army in your hands."

  "Satine," Padmé murmurs, glancing at the passing senators who aren't even trying to hide their stares. 

  Obi-Wan’s eyes are colder than Boba has ever seen them, the hand behind him clenched into a fist, and Kryze had known him very well at one point, Boba knows she can read between the lines of Obi-Wan’s blank expression.

  "And I had hoped we had reached an understanding that there was nothing else for us to discuss, my lady. There are only so many times we can beat a dead bantha."

  Kryze sniffs. "You need not show me so much disdain, Obi-Wan: we are not sixteen and foolish anymore." Padmé tries to cut in, but Kryze waves for her silence. "But I agree, I do not think any new peace can be reached here, and you should be getting the child back to his progenitor, no?"

  "Jealous hag," Boba chirps, rocking on the balls of his feet and wondering if she had had dreams of having kids with Obi-Wan. "You didn't deserve Obi-Wan back then, and you certainly don't deserve him now. At the very least, he can separate his feelings from his politics."

  "Boba, please," Obi-Wan sighs, setting a gentle hand on the back of his neck, and Boba gets to watch with a vicious glee the exact moment Kryze sees Jango's vambrace, the only piece of armor Obi-Wan wears, and realises he is far past fraternising with her enemy.

  Padmé puts a hand on Kryze’s arm and gently starts to lead her away. "We should return to the committee, Duchess. And I'm sure Master Kenobi has his own business to attend to."

  "Of course," Kryze agrees icily, and actually returns Obi-Wan’s nod of farewell; she barely spares Boba a glance, though he smiles innocently up at her and mutters,

  "Demagulka," just loud enough for her to hear.

  Obi-Wan casts him a stern look, but luckily doesn't get the chance to scold him further, when Padmé quickly returns without Kryze and looks harried enough for all three of them. 

  "I'm sorry, Obi-Wan," she says, hushed in the still rather busy hall, "You did not deserve that."

  "That's quite alright, my dear," Obi-Wan is quick to say, and smiles at his friend. "I'm afraid I'm quite used to such treatment, though perhaps not so... publicly."

  "I don't know if I've ever seen you in the Rotunda without the council, and I highly doubt you came all this way just to butt heads with the Duchess. What are you doing here?"

  "Ah, that would be this one's fault," he says, Boba yelping as Obi-Wan sticks his hand into his curls and tousles them roughly. He only smiles down at him when Boba growls and grabs onto his arm, and though he knows Obi-Wan could easily lift him like this, the Jedi would never do so here.

  "It was Boba, yes?" Padmé asks kindly, folding her hands in front of her. "What brings you to the Rotunda?'

  "Buir said he was meeting someone," he scrunches up his face. "But we're leaving right after so Obi-Wan was watching me and brought me over to meet him."

  Padmé’s smile only slips a little, looking back to Obi-Wan. "Fett's meeting someone?" she asks, even quieter, "Here?"

  "It is perhaps not my place to speak of it, we are still in the very early stages," he says mysteriously, tugging Boba around to lean against his front, arms draped over Boba's shoulders as if trying to make up for Jango’s resistance to public displays of affection. Grumbling, Boba still lets himself be held there, and meets every stare from passing politicians with a glare. "When we get a little further along, I would very much like to speak with the Delegation of 2,000."

  Bemused but not particularly surprised, Padmé shakes her head. "Of course, Obi-Wan. Are we to see you on Coruscant more often, then?"

  Obi-Wan winces and holds Boba a little closer. "The 212th is coming off leave at the end of the tenday, I'm afraid. And of course Jango and Boba will be returning to Mandalorian space."

  Padmé looks over Obi-Wan’s shoulder, smile becoming strained but not quite unfriendly. "Speak the name of the Dianoga," she sighs.

  Boba wriggles to look behind them and immediately perks up. "Buir!"

  Jango pauses on his path for the elevators, turning instead towards Boba's voice; the lines of his face soften at the sight of them, joining them after an encouraging finger-flick from Obi-Wan. 

  "Senator Amidala," he greets with a nod, and Boba thinks his buir actually likes Padmé, but won't admit it because Obi-Wan would never let him hear the end of it.

  "Mr. Fett," she returns, shaking his hand firmly like any good Mando. "Although, if my suspicions about your presence here are correct, I will be adjusting my term of address in the near future?"

  Letting Boba latch onto his side like a Corellian limpet, Jango raises a brow at Obi-Wan. "Haat'ade do not change their clan names at marriage," he says, Boba rolling his eyes at his buir's failed attempt at humor, and Obi-Wan rubs his eyes with one hand. 

  "Jango," he sighs, Padmé looking like Lifeday came early. 

  "Obi-Wan, you hadn't told me the Council had approved your request," she plays along, "When can I expect an invitation?"

  "After I'm done with him, never."

  "Now, cyar’ika," Jango chides, "it's best not to publicly threaten your–" 

  "Finish that sentence, and I'll have Anakin steal the Slave I," Obi-Wan says it into his hand, but Boba can see the edges of a smile. "Padmé, please don't encourage him, he'll be insufferable after this."

  Padmé casts a quick wink down to Boba. "You best tell Anakin next, if he's the last to know, he'll be whining for weeks."

  Jango brushes his fingers over Obi-Wan’s back like a sap, and his smile is even worse. Maker, Boba loves the both of them, but no one should look as smitten as his buir does any time Obi-Wan threatens him. "I don't know how we're going to fit your entire family on Concord Dawn, or all the kids." 

  "You mean the vode? Buir, I think Obi has more people on the Negotiator than have ever even lived on Concord Dawn."

  "Why in Corellian Hells would I agree to have it on Concord Dawn?" Obi-Wan wants to know. "Maker, but this entire conversation is ridiculous."

  Padmé tilts her head with a small hum, expression entirely too innocent. "Didn't you agree to marry Anakin on Tatooine for the one mission with the three-lekku Twi'lek and their five footed goa–"

  "Yes, THANK YOU, my dear, that's quite enough of that."

  Jango looks put-out, just short of an actual pout, and Boba wriggles against him in embarrassment. "You didn't tell me about that mission," Jango says, feigning hurt.

  Obi-Wan side-eyes him, and only gets a smile for his trouble. "You know," Obi-Wan starts casually, but with a mischievous twinkle in his eye that has only ever meant great deals of fun for Boba, "by Stewjoni rites, we're already married."

 Jango chokes on nothing, and Boba wonders if he'd even known where Obi-Wan was from. He should probably tell his buir he's already met Obi-Wan's grandparents.

Mando’a: buir — “parent”, gender neutral Demagulka — (from mandoa.org) “someone who commits atrocties, a real-life monster, a war criminal - from the notorious Mandalorian scientist of the Old Republic, Demagol, known for his experiments on children, and a figure of hate and dread in the Mando psyche” Haat’ade — slang for Haat Mando’ade, lit. “true children of Mandalore”, True Mandalorians cyar’ika — “darling”, “sweetheart”

*“Gar taldin ni jaonyc” from the full phrase “Gar taldin ni jaonyc; gar sa buir, ori'wadaas'la,” lit. “Bloodline is not important, but you as a [parent] [is] the most valuable thing”,  used in the context of not judging someone by their lineage (blood or not) but by their own actions as a parent. I’ve used it here as Boba both calling Satine “dar’manda” and calling out her hypocrisy in criticising Obi-Wan/the Jedi from her ivory tower when she is a Kalevalen imperialist ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[gffa]

I have a lot of affection for PADME AMIDALA’s character and sometimes she can get a little lost in the shuffle (both in canon and in fandom) so LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MY PADME FEELINGS AND WHAT WE COULD HAVE HAD, by which I mean cry about my feelings on Padme fic, especially Padme Lives fic. STAR WARS FIC RECS - PADME AMIDALA: PADME LIVES: ✦ Keep Breathing by Yesac, obi-wan/padme + some anakin/padme + luke & leia & oc, 45.8k ✦ the family amidala by dirgewithoutmusic, padme & obi-wan & luke & leia, 6.8k ✦ Rumours of my Demise by cupiscent, obi-wan/padme & cast, 4k ✦ Lights Will Guide You Home by darlingargents, obi-wan/padme & obi-wan/anakin/padme & cast, 6.2k wip ✦ turn my sorrow into treasured gold by cosmicocean, obi-wan/padme & luke & leia, 15.6k ✦ Far More Than Rubies by frodogenic, padme & luke & obi-wan & vader & cast, 71.7k ✦ Holder of the Torch by SimplexityJane, padme & obi-wan & luke & leia, 4.1k ✦ Circles by ambiguously, obi-wan/padme & luke & leia & anakin + past anakin/padme, 4.2k ✦ Resurrection by Lefaym, obi-wan/padme & cast, 1.1k ✦ recovery by dadcastellanos, obi-wan/padme, 1.8k ✦ counterpoise by spookykingdomstarlight, padme & obi-wan & luke & leia & cast, 6.1k ✦ The Beginning After the End by notbecauseofvictories, padme & cast (some anakin/padme & obi-wan & palpatine & luke & leia), padme lives, 7k ✦ We Push Away the Unimaginable by KeeperofSeeds, obi-wan & padme, 1.3k wip ✦ Padmé Lives to Tell the Tale by ninemoons42, padme & luke & leia & obi-wan & sabe & dorme & mon mothma, 14.7k DARK!PADME: ✦ It Would Ruin Us by themoosejthm, obi-wan/anakin/padme, NSFW, sith!padme, 4.6k ✦ Sharp and Bright and Vicious by TheFreakWithTheWings, obi-wan/anakin/padme + palpatine, sith!padme, ~1k PAMDE FIC: ✦ Leverage by venusmelody, padme & cast, 1.1k ✦ lose me in the crowds at twighlight by philthestone, padme & han, 3.4k ✦ Sea Change by sevenofspade, obi-wan/padme & anakin, 3.9k ✦ Fate, Inexorable by imadra_blue, Luthe, obi-wan/padme + anakin/padme + implied obi-wan/anakin, nsfw, 9.1k ✦ Supreme Chancellor Padme AU by phosphorescent-naidheachd, some anakin/padme, references to obi-wan/anakin(/padme?), ~1k OTHER PEOPLE REMEMBER PADME: ✦ A Figment of Mother’s Love by Darkmagyk, luke & leia & padme + anakin/padme + cast, 4.8k ✦ La memoria de mi madre by imadra_blue, leia & padme & cast, 2k NOT THE CENTRAL CHARACTER, BUT ENJOYABLE PADME ROLES: ✦ i could teach you (but i’d have to charge) by blackalien, obi-wan/anakin/padme & ahsoka & dooku & cast, 7.1k wip ✦ Plot Twist by skywalkersamidala, obi-wan/anakin/padme & ahsoka & cast, human au, 10.1k ✦ all I am are darken lines by KeeperofSeeds, obi-wan & padme, 3.7k ✦ untitled by themoosejthm, obi-wan & anakin/padme & ahsoka & luke & leia, 1k full details + recs under the cut!

STAR WARS FIC RECS - PADME AMIDALA: PADME LIVES: ✦ Keep Breathing by Yesac, obi-wan/padme + some anakin/padme + luke & leia & oc, 45.8k      Padme doesn’t die at the end of Revenge of the Sith. Instead, she decides to take the twins and join Obi-Wan in exile.      Oh, what a gorgeous fic for Padme’s character and it hit so many of the buttons I have for her relationships with both Anakin and Obi-Wan. I have a tenuous interest in Obi-Wan/Padme, it has to be done with such precision and I don’t see it ever really happening without the ghost of Anakin between them, but this fic gets that, because Anakin very much is the ghost in the room, even when their relationship grows beyond him, that it does become about them. It hit me so hard because they both love Anakin so very much, the loss of him never really goes away for either of them, they both so desperately miss him and want him back and want to believe that something of the person they loved is still in there, even as they fight back against him, even as they refuse to bend to him. The way the fic sets up their lives, the way Obi-Wan truly becomes the children’s father, the way Padme finds her strength again after everything she’s lost, it’s so spot on for the characters. The fic never shies away from the difficult things, never holds back on that this is Star Wars and tragedy follows everyone around, even as there is always hope. The scenes with Vader don’t come until later in the fic, but my heart hurt for everyone and, oh, the way Padme saw him and interacted with him and what she came to realize about herself and about Anakin, it was all beautifully built up and had really lovely character insight into all of them. It’s a fic that is so satisfying for how Padme’s life might have gone if she’d lived, how all of them might have changed, how some things stayed the same, in some ways it was better and in some ways it was worse. But I came to care about all of these characters, I was so glad that they got to have a family together, that there was love and meaning in their lives, yet it didn’t hold back on how things ultimately had to go. Plus, the ending was just perfect and it’s everything Star Wars should be. ✦ the family amidala by dirgewithoutmusic, padme & obi-wan & luke & leia, 6.8k      Padme lives. She runs.      I love this fic so much, I never knew how much I needed Padme living and raises her children, while Obi-Wan gets roped into their family, too. The shadow of Anakin is always there, it’s not about replacing him, they’ll always love him, but I love how they still live without him, that the twins grow up and are still so very much themselves, if different because of the families they have now. I love the way the fic echoes canon sometimes, the way Leia is still drawn to Alderaan, the way Luke is still so much like his mother, the way Leia is so much like her father, but it’s not the same still. This Padme is also gorgeously written, the sheer strength of her character in every scene is fantastic, and I love that this fic hurts less for Obi-Wan than the canon does. I loved this fic a lot. ✦ Rumours of my Demise by cupiscent, obi-wan/padme & cast, 4k     Padme Amidala cannot live in a galaxy where he has come to be what he is. Obi-Wan Kenobi spends most of his time talking with ghosts.      I’m often wary of Obi-Wan/Padme fic, because Anakin’s presence between them is such an important thing, that trying to find the line between that and genuinely connecting these characters can be difficult, but, oh, this fic managed it beautifully. It sticks pretty firmly to the canon timeline, just adding scenes between the moments we see on the screen, to show that Padme lived and that we don’t really know how much it changed, because it’s not about that, because in the same way that Obi-Wan didn’t survive Anakin’s fall, neither did Padme, they’re both halfway to being ghosts. The strength of both of them and yet how utterly bittersweet this piece is, how Anakin absolutely is between them and yet he’s not, it hit all the right buttons and, oh, the moments when Padme visits Obi-Wan on Tattoine or the messages they send each other now and again, it’s heartbreaking and perfect. ✦ Lights Will Guide You Home by darlingargents, obi-wan/padme & obi-wan/anakin/padme & cast, 6.2k wip     Obi-Wan knew that if he didn’t leave now, Padmé would die. And so he made his decision.    Chapters 1: This is only one chapter of a wip so far and it took me a bit of time to really get into it, but by the end of it, I was absolutely engaged with it and it doesn’t matter how many times I read Padme Lives fic or that she runs with Obi-Wan, when a fic can still be charming and sharp, I’m still always going to be there for it, like I am with this one. The slow sense of… not moving on from the grief, it’s still so fresh and overwhelming, but that sense of soldiering forward, of not giving up, of holding onto what little hope they have together, the quiet touches of whatever it is between them, as they hide out together and don’t talk about Anakin, as well as… there are just a lot of really great little quiet character moments. My favorite is probably when Obi-Wan and Luminara had a moment of shared mourning: Twenty-five thousand years of protecting the galaxy, and when our children were slaughtered and our temple burned, no one saved us. Ow. But also every moment of Obi-Wan and Padme with the babies and the quiet moment of a hand extended out in comfort in the middle of the night. I am super eager for more of this one, absolutely.    Chapters 2-3: This is an update rec, so it will focus on these chapters, rather than the fic as a whole. I’d somehow missed chapter 2 being posted, so I got to read 2 and 3 at the same time and, ahhhh, I continue to want to roll around in this fic a lot. It’s a Divergent Timeline fic, where Padme doesn’t die, but instead she’s on the run with Obi-Wan, where they try to figure out what to do next, whether to hide while raising the twins or get involved with the Rebellion. I love that there’s such a strong relationship between them, I love love love fic where Obi-Wan raises the twins as their father, that his relationship with Padme isn’t necessarily quite romantic, but it’s not platonic, either. It’s… the ghost of Anakin is always between them and that’s my favorite, especially knowing that he’s still out there as Vader, that eventually that’s going to come to a head. I love the use of Barriss in this fic, that Luminara may not be a central character, but you can feel her struggle with her care for her former Padawan, all the more meaningful in this new galaxy where the Jedi are all but dead, that nothing is quite so clear-cut anymore. But also Padme! Who goes back to Coruscant to help get more intel! Who is brave and faces the terror of being in the same room as Palpatine and, of course, showing her face again means Vader will eventually have to know! All of this interspersed with Luke and Leia being teenagers now, that there are these moments of something like slice of life, but not, because they’re training and the Empire hangs over all their heads! And bringing Ahsoka back to all of them! It’s a really well-written, really solid story that I would love to have all of it in my hot little hands right this second, but am also enjoying each chapter as it comes out. ✦ turn my sorrow into treasured gold by cosmicocean, obi-wan/padme & luke & leia, 15.6k      Padmé survives childbirth, dies as far as the rest of the galaxy is concerned, takes her children with Obi-Wan, and runs.      Oh, I was just utterly engrossed by this fic, it’s such a lovely story about Obi-Wan and Padme post-ROTS and how they slowly develop a relationship, how Obi-Wan is absolutely Luke and Leia’s father even if they’re not his by blood, how Padme is their mother, how so many things are the same and yet so many things are different, how the fic can still break my heart and yet provide something a little better for these characters. The only way Obi-Wan/Padme usually works for me is when Anakin’s ghost both is and isn’t there, which this fic does perfectly, they both loved (love) him but he’s gone and they’re building something for the twins, they’re building something between the two of them as well, which all these little details and moments in the fic builds up towards. I love how much presence all four of them have here, that none of them are left out or forgotten by the story, I love that the fic is just so solidly good and I would have read another 100k of it, both for how much it pleased my id and just how well-told it was all the way around. This is a terrible rec, but this fic was an absolutely wonderful addition to the Padme Lives fic in the fandom, as well as for Obi-Wan raising the twins. ✦ Far More Than Rubies by frodogenic, padme & luke & obi-wan & vader & cast, 71.7k      Nine years after AOTC, tragedy revisits the Lars Homestead. Little Luke Skywalker is suddenly plunged into chaos as the rebel movements discover a secret military project that may make a crucial difference in the war with the Empire.      Oh, man, this fic was my joyful place for a few days because I just got so engrossed in it, it was such an utterly fantastic and engaging read! I admit, the first couple of chapters are rough, the fic relies too much on epithets and trying to obfuscate what’s obvious, but the writing quickly improves and by the end of the fic, it was very smooth and polished. I’ve read several Padme Lives AUs, but this one was special for just how much time it put into her relationship with Luke and gave me a really solid plot to go with it! Padme as part of the rebellion, as well as trying to reconnect with her son, that the action and the emotions go together in a really, really satisfying way was at the heart of this fic, it’s everything I could have asked for from why I read longer genfic in the first place, it could have been part of canon, for how spot on it felt in keeping up with the plot. There are so many things that made me love this fic, though, beyond just that it was an incredibly solid read, which I mean in the most complimentary way. Like that it’s absolutely a good Padme fic! It’s got a cute kid who isn’t too precocious, but instead you fall in love with kidlet Luke! It’s got a good amount of Obi-Wan, who at first is there to be a familiar face for Luke after they leave Tatooine, but then becomes a good friend to Padme all over again and supports their reestablishing relationship, and even if he’s not the focus he felt right to me. I loved that he didn’t always agree with Padme, I loved the interaction he had with both her and Luke, how much he obviously cared for both of them, I loved every second of his relationship with Anakin in this fic. But, ultimately, this was Padme’s fic and she’s perfect here, she’s so human and fragile in some ways, but so strong and like steel in other ways, just as she should be. Her dedication to the Rebellion, but also her absolute utter ache over the loss of Anakin, her hesitancy about not sure what she should do, but also that she knows what she wants, the way she had to work to rebuild her relationship with Luke, but it’s so good when she does! ALL OF IT was so, so satisfying and a great read for anyone interested in these characters. ✦ Holder of the Torch by SimplexityJane, padme & obi-wan & luke & leia, 4.1k      Padmé Amidala has to make a life for herself and her children out of the ashes of her old world. It’s a very good thing she’s survived so many assassination attempts.      I picked this up for the Obi-Wan & Padme interaction, but it’s really more of a Padme piece and it’s a few snippets in amongst the greater ROTS storyline and a Padme Lives storyline, as she raises her children in the Space Jewish way. It was a solid, interesting piece that was a good look at Padme’s character and gave her more of what I wanted for her. ✦ Circles by ambiguously, obi-wan/padme & luke & leia & anakin + past anakin/padme, 4.2k      Padmé and Obi-Wan raise the twins together while hiding from the Empire.      I will always love fics with this concept, especially when they’re so beautifully done like this one is, where everything is so painful and bittersweet and yet there is still hope. This is primarily a Padme piece, how shattered she is by the events of ROTS, but manages to live through them here, the way her children are everything to her, the way Obi-Wan becomes so dear to her, the way they both share this absolutely aching loss of Anakin, that their relationship is never free from his ghost between them, even as they genuinely care about each other. It’s just the right amounts of everything there. And it’s a fascinating look at trying to keep her children from a Vader that knows he has a child, how they can all hide for only so long, how Luke and Leia are such strong personalities already, there’s a great climax scene with so much hurt to go around for everyone, and it’s just. A really, really fascinating Padme Lives AU, seeing what could have been in a different world, for better or worse. ✦ Resurrection by Lefaym, obi-wan/padme & cast, 1.1k      It’s hard to adapt to life as a dead woman. But not everyone sees her that way. Not quite.      One of the best things about the May The 4th Be With You exchange this year is that there were some really interesting and engaging Padme fics to read, of which this was one, where she lived and went into hiding and it’s just so bittersweet and heartwrenching for her. She can’t do anything without too big of a risk, she has to stay back and always hide, always stay distant from her children and the man she loved and even her own name. It’s not a long fic, it’s just a handful of scenes, but it does a lovely job of showing how difficult this is for her, how deeply she mourns, and the connection between her and Obi-Wan, the loss that only the two of them share. This is exactly how I like their relationship and it was just right here. ✦ recovery by dadcastellanos, obi-wan/padme, 1.8k      Padmé survives the loss of Anakin and goes into hiding with Obi-Wan. Slowly, slowly, they make something of their new lives together.      Oh, I really enjoyed this fic a lot, that Obi-Wan and Padme eventually manage to find some measure of peace and happiness together, that it takes them a long time to do so, that it’s not this great, grand, huge passion, but a steady, slow love that binds them together, with Anakin’s ghost almost lingering on the edges of the both of them. That’s exactly how I ship them and I loved that this was just as much about Padme trying to cope, that she can’t do it perfectly or all at once, she’s still destroyed by the loss of Anakin, but eventually recovers into something like her old self. It’s not a long fic, but you feel the passage of time, you feel the sorrow and loss just as much as the sparks of hope at the same time, which is just what Star Wars fic should be. This was really lovely. ✦ counterpoise by spookykingdomstarlight, padme & obi-wan & luke & leia & cast, 6.1k      Guilt stabs into Padmé’s chest, a rhythmic pain that keeps time with her pulse. Leia knows her father was a Jedi, that he loved her—would have loved her—and that he died fighting the Emperor before there was ever really such a thing as the Rebellion. It’s the truth. From a certain point of view. But that doesn’t stop doubt from coursing, ragged, through her veins.      This round of May The 4th Be With You brought a lot of new Padme Lives AUs and I’ve enjoyed being able to snatch so many of them up, but I think this one might be my favorite yet. It’s such a great look at her character, it aches for what she’s lost and how it hurts every time she has to step aside to protect her children and protect the galaxy, how much it hurts for what she’s lost and how she can’t even bring herself to think Anakin’s name most days, yet how she never entirely breaks, how she continues to love and survive and live. Her relationship with the various people around her, Obi-Wan and her children, are lovely and full of such compassion and care and sadness, that her children grow up to be brilliant each in their own ways, that Leia especially is such a mix of both parents, so many beautiful little details woven into the story here. It’s a gorgeous read from start to finish, especially for the mother/daughter relationship that feels like it’s everything they could have been. So, so lovely a read. ✦ The Beginning After the End by notbecauseofvictories, padme & cast (some anakin/padme & obi-wan & palpatine & luke & leia), padme lives, 7k    Padmé wakes to the back of Obi-Wan’s head, his hair mussed and his arms spread, outstretched over her knees as though to shield her from all that would come. (Too late, Padmé thinks, feeling the dull ache around her throat, where phantom hands tightened. Much too late for that now.)    This was a lovely look at Padme’s character, at a scenario where she lived and had to carry on, hiding her children away from Palpatine and mourning the death of Anakin and the Republic she so loved. There’s a lovely sort of friendship between her and Obi-Wan that’s somewhat comforting but also never quite gets out of the mourning stage, and probably never will after they learn that Anakin survived Mustafar–which is the highlight of the fic. The tension of the scene was perfect, the moment that Vader and Padme were in the same room together again was so good, everything about Padme’s character wrenched at my heart for what she had been through and how torn apart that relationship was. But it’s also a story of Padme slowly coming to the Rebellion in her own way and it’s a great look at her character overall! ✦ We Push Away the Unimaginable by KeeperofSeeds, obi-wan & padme, 1.3k wip    RotS AU: Padme survives. Weak from her injuries on Mustafar and healing after giving birth, she and the twins are taken into hiding by Obi Wan. Now they are on the run from the Empire and dealing with each other’s trauma, as they try to figure out what to do after your world falls apart.    This is only the first chapter of a WIP, but it’s a Padme Lives AU, it has a lovely look at her character, both the strength and the sorrow, and it has lovely interaction between her and Obi-Wan. It’s one of those that you should probably only pick up if you’re okay with WIPs, since there’s not yet much time for things to be happening, but just having those scenes between Padme and Obi-Wan, how they draw comfort from each other, how the early days of their new lives are so painful and yet they have hope, ahhh, this is what I keep coming back to these AUs for. ✦ Padmé Lives to Tell the Tale by ninemoons42, padme & luke & leia & obi-wan & sabe & dorme & mon mothma, 14.7k      One: Padmé lives. Two: she survives the birth of the twins. Three: she does not let anyone take the twins away from her. Four: she rallies her friends and allies together once again.      I am greatly fond of Padme Lives AUs, so I was intrigued by this one and it’s a solid, fun piece that has a lot of neat things! While I was initially attracted because of the promised Padme & Obi-Wan interaction, he’s really hardly in it at all, this is very much all about Padme’s character and making her the most awesome, but also about her getting to raise her children and how difficult this all is for her, but how she pulls through for them. It’s five fics set at different points in how she gets involved with the rebellion and it’s got a strong focus on female characters, which is always nice to see for a change! A solid, good read that I tore through everything of yesterday. DARK!PADME: ✦ It Would Ruin Us by themoosejthm, obi-wan/anakin/padme, NSFW, sith!padme, 4.6k    This is a Sith!Padme fanfic where nothing is okay and no one wins. It features obianidala, obsessive love, and no happy ending. I’m so sorry.    I didn’t realize I would love the idea of Sith!Padme as much as I do, but, oh, I really love her here, I love that this is both an Obianidala fic and really a Padme fic, that it winds together her history and her ruthlessness and anger and posessiveness, that she’s obsesed with Anakin and the only one she’ll ever share him with is Obi-Wan but even that is doomed to fall apart, all written beautifully. There are so many great little moments, I love that the fic isn’t a happy one precisely, this Padme is dangerous and lethal and angry, but there are moments of them being happy together, she cares so deeply about Anakin, she gets along so well with Obi-Wan, especially when they’re fucking Anakin, whether he’s on his knees and filled up with Obi-Wan while she directs them or she’s sitting on Anakin’s face while Obi-Wan slowly opens him up, they can be stable for a few moments and it’s so good, until something threatens what’s hers and then she’s off. I love that this fic is beautifully written, I love her obsession with Anakin and the weight of her character here, I love that it’s a fucked up universe but in such an engaging, engrossing way, I love that I would have read it for those moments of sex (seriously, they’re so ridiculously hot, every time Anakin is a whiny needy mess because he wants more, it’s perfection) but that I wound up loving it for Padme herself, too. ✦ Sharp and Bright and Vicious by TheFreakWithTheWings, obi-wan/anakin/padme + palpatine, sith!padme, ~1k    Padmé’s plans have accelerated. It is time to rid the galaxy of Darth Sidious.    I have a weakness for any and all Sith AUs and this one was really charming and entirely fun! I love the elegance of the character, as Padme faces off against Palpatine, that she’s entirely willing to straight up murder him because he touched what was hers, that he tried to take Anakin from her. I’m just really charmed by the images this put in my head, the way it caught my imagination for how would Padme try to poach Obi-Wan from the Jedi, because Anakin wouldn’t be entirely happy without him? How would their Empire look, once Palpatine was gone? I love stuff like that! PAMDE FIC: ✦ Leverage by venusmelody, padme & cast, 1.1k      “Her children need her. That is true. And she can give them only one thing.” Or, the real reason Padmé let go of life, and heartbreak was just a miniscule part.      This was a lovely look at Padme’s character and why she gave up on living at the end of ROTS, why it was a deliberate choice against what she personally wanted and why she thought it was the thing she had to do. It’s a good read for her character, but also it helps to potentially take some of the sting out of what happened to her, how her story ended, to give her this choice being hers. I love a good Padme Lives AU, but at the end of the way we’re still tied to the canon and this was a good look at what could have been going on with her character. ✦ lose me in the crowds at twighlight by philthestone, padme & han, 3.4k     Padme could already see the headlines: “Distinguished Senator from Naboo disrupts pleasant upper-class dining environment by trying to buy the Corellian street urchin who was robbing her a sandwich.”      Oh, I loved this fic a lot, it’s such a beautiful look at Padme’s character, who is so kind and compassionate and diplomatic to everyone she meets, to everyone who deserves it, no matter who they are. It’s pretty adorable to see her interacting with kidlet Han, who was absolutely darling, I loved it for the connection of it all, knowing how important he would be to her children one day, but also just because, oh, this was Padme and it was such a lovely look at her character and the little moments of her kindness, even when there’s so much else going on in her life, she still absolutely has time for moments like this. A great read. ✦ Sea Change by sevenofspade, obi-wan/padme & anakin, 3.9k      Padmé Amidala is accompanied by Obi-Wan Kenobi to Naboo and Anakin Skywalker is the galaxy’s worst detective.      This is one of those fics that’s a bit difficult to describe, where things are set up a little differently and so events (and relationships) unfold differently and it did have moments of needing more connecting pieces, but I found that I really enjoyed reading this as a Padme piece, I enjoyed it getting to see Obi-Wan and Padme develop a friendship, which did involve sex, but it’s not love for either of them, which works for me. There are some fun Anakin moments as well, there’s a lot of things that just seem to go a little better in this universe, and sometimes that’s really nice to read! I thoroughly enjoyed this one. ✦ Fate, Inexorable by imadra_blue, Luthe, obi-wan/padme + anakin/padme + implied obi-wan/anakin, nsfw, 9.1k      When Anakin is kidnapped by Separatists during the Clone Wars, Padmé accompanies Obi-Wan to rescue him. On a strange trio of planets, they search for him, drawing closer in their mutual fear for Anakin. The bonds that form will not be strong enough to face the future that awaits them in Revenge of the Sith.      Oh, I really enjoyed this fic a lot, for the look at Padme’s character especailly. It does go against canon in a few ways, so you have to just roll with that, but it’s not really a story about those things, it’s about Obi-Wan and Padme worrying about Anakin who has been kidnapped and how that draws the two of them together. It’s lovely in how unrelentingly caring and compassionate that Padme is, that she loves Anakin so much and she’s drawn to Obi-Wan both for how charismatic he is and because of his connection to Anakin, that she can be envious and nervous about what that connection is, that it’s something she feels outside of, while never letting it make her any less of an amazing and caring person. The way she sees how much Anakin means to Obi-Wan, the way she feels that connection, just as much as her own connection to Anakin (and the subtle worry that maybe it’s more than her own) is nicely done. The fic is never about punishing her for being drawn to Obi-Wan when worried about Anakin, that it’s the missing presence of his between them that’s what draws them together in the first place, that it feels somehow natural for Obi-Wan to slide into her the way Anakin usually does, the way she can’t help but see Obi-Wan sliding into Anakin instead of her, so while it’s infidelity and she feels gulty about that, it takes nothing from her character and instead only adds to it. It’s a fic that’s really about two established relationships and the third one that’s temporary only because of how they both feel about Anakin, which hits pretty much on exactly what I want from Obi-Wan/Padme. ✦ Supreme Chancellor Padme AU by phosphorescent-naidheachd, some anakin/padme, references to obi-wan/anakin(/padme?), ~1k    Early into the events of Return of the Sith, the Delegation of 2000 calls for a vote of no confidence in Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. By some miracle, it actually passes and Padme is voted in as interim chancellor.    This is sort of half fic and half fic summary, but it’s a delightful AU sketching where things go a little differently, Padme takes over as Chancellor and things become so much better. I love how happy it is and I actually really love the idea of Padme being Chancellor, I would have loved to have seen what she’d done with the role, I love how she was such a force for good here and it allowed so much to go so much better. This was lovely. OTHER PEOPLE REMEMBER PADME: ✦ A Figment of Mother’s Love by Darkmagyk, luke & leia & padme + anakin/padme + cast, 4.8k      “Where was she from?” Luke asked. “To have soft hands.”      This was a lovely look at the twins wondering about their mother and eventually learning about her. Padme’s influence on the OT is subtle and often ignored (understandably so, with the way it was set up) so it’s nice to see Luke and Leia discovering her, to see the reflections of her in her children, how Leia looks like her and Luke takes after her. It’s just the right amount of bittersweet to go with the painful, I really loved this a lot. ✦ La memoria de mi madre by imadra_blue, leia & padme & cast, 2k      Five times Leia didn’t recognize her mother and the one time she did.      A collection of scenes that show Leia’s connection to her mother, even when she has no idea who the woman is or that there’s anything significant there yet. They’re lovely moments, often bittersweet for knowing the truth behind all of that Leia’s unaware of, but entirely worth reading for a wonderful look at mother & daughter, and then continuing on with Rey, in my favorite of all the scenes. NOT THE CENTRAL CHARACTER, BUT ENJOYABLE PADME ROLES: ✦ i could teach you (but i’d have to charge) by blackalien, obi-wan/anakin/padme & ahsoka & dooku & cast, 7.1k wip    ( aka: that high school teachers au that literally no one was going to ask for, but needed to be done. featuring: anakin and ahsoka terrorizing the entire school, the clones as secretaries, and obi-wan, who definitely deserves a raise. let’s not even talk about dooku. )    Chapter 1: I was just so completely and utterly charmed by this fic, I can’t even tell you. It felt entirely self-aware of the tropes and silliness it was embracing, that it was having a blast and it made me have a great time right along with it, because it was so sharp and funny and absolutely delightful. There can be a skill to writing cracky high school AU fics and this fic felt like it had that, so all the little touches were an absolute delight. I love that I enjoyed these characters, I enjoyed Anakin’s dramatics, I enjoyed Padme’s sensibleness, I enjoyed Obi-Wan’s being the only semi-sane one in the room, I enjoyed that Dooku’s life was so put-upon, I enjoyed that I just smiled my way through this entire fic and would have read at least ten times more of it, if I’d been able to!    Chapter 2: This is an update rec, so you should start at the beginning if you haven’t read the first chapter yet. This is one of those modern AUs that’s totally cracky and good-hearted and joyfully embraces being silly and adorable that it just makes me feel good to read it. This chapter goes even harder on the silliness and adorable crackiness, but there’s just such charm to it, such affection for every character (the obvious faves, but even with Dooku, while you’re laughing at him, you also instinctually understand why his life is so hard) that it was just a super cute, fun read that I totally enjoyed! ✦ Plot Twist by skywalkersamidala, obi-wan/anakin/padme & ahsoka & cast, human au, 10.1k    The supposed love triangle between Mr. Skywalker, Ms. Amidala, and Mr. Kenobi is all their students (and even their fellow teachers) can talk about. The only thing is, no one at Coruscant High School can figure out exactly which of them are together.    I sank into this story like it was tasty candy because, oh, it was. I love school AUs and I love when the characters really fit into the roles, I love that Anakin is kind of a major disaster but his charm is in how he can be both brilliant and terrible, I love that Padme is polished and lovely but also so warm and caring, and I love that Obi-Wan is so sharp and incredible but also so human, I love that there’s such absolute charm and sparkle between the three of them that I fell in love all over again. I love that Anakin’s attraction to both of them is legitimate, I love that he’s instantly in love with Padme as soon as he sees her, I love that he’s wildly attracted to Obi-Wan and cares about him, I love that Padme leans on his shoulder when they’re curled up on the couch together, I love that Obi-Wan backs Anakin up against the whiteboard to kiss him because Anakin so badly wants just to kiss him right then, I love that the three of them are the absolute gossip of the school, that no one can figure out which of them are dating and it’s all just so…. It’s all so good-hearted and happy, it knows it’s silly at times but embraces that and comes out actually being a really solidly written story for these three. It’s one of those that made me happy in my very soul, because Anakin should definitely be sandwhiched between his two favorite people forever and always. ✦ all I am are darken lines by KeeperofSeeds, obi-wan & padme, 3.7k    Padmé visits Obi-Wan on Tatooine as a Force-Ghost.    Often times I’m at war with myself over: On the one hand, it was a really huge deal that a small handful of characters figured out how to become Force Ghosts and just tossing another one in there goes against how important/rare that was vs Obi-Wan and Padme’s friendship means so very much to me! And their friendship was lovely here, I loved this Padme, she was the highlight of the fic, how gentle and yet stubborn she was, how she watched over and loved both of her children, how she watched over them, how she tried to help with Obi-Wan’s grief after everything that had happened. She’s the one I read this fic for and she was absolutely lovely here, especially because they never really talk that much about Anakin, but you can feel the ghost of his presence in the room, and that’s just how I like these two. ✦ untitled by themoosejthm, obi-wan & anakin/padme & ahsoka & luke & leia, 1k    Anonymous asked: Padme: “I always have a note in my pocket that says "Anakin did it” just in case I’m murdered because I don’t want him to remarry.“    This is adorable and totally happy and warm-hearted and lovely! It’s a universe where everything has gone better, where they’re all there for the birth of the twins, where Padme is loopy on painkillers and it’s both hilarious and just joyful because she’s so happy, because Anakin’s so happy, because Obi-Wan’s so happy, becaus Ahsoka’s so happy. It’s a cute prompt and it’s used in the most adorable, super cute way here, one of those that’s entirely fluffy but still so well-written and I still have the biggest :D face just thinking about this universe and how happy it is.